Fans give Lira warm welcome at Bassline gig after recovery

After being hit by stroke and going through a long recovery process that saw her re-learning how to speak, Lira hit the stage at the Bassline Festival and gave fans what they had been longing for since she disappeared from the public eye to recuperate.

Taking to the stage on Saturday evening at the Constitutional Hill for her first performance after having suffered a stroke while in Germany in 2022, the songstress belted out her hits to a roaring crowd that had clearly been missing her on stage.

“I remember reading her story a few months ago and she wasn’t sure she would ever perform again but look at her now. Seeing her live and jumping around the stage reminded me of the Lira we all missed,” said 23-year-old Wits student Tlhogi Kgopa.

Kgopa said she had been nervous about Lira’s performance since her recovery but loved every second of it.

Wearing a yellow two-piece outfit, Lira hit the stage at 8pm, singing her classical hits and crowd favourites, showing fans she still got it. 

As soon as she appeared on stage, the crowd went berserk, chanting her name: "Lira! Lira! Lira!"

She had the crowd singing along to her songs, and was   in tears at the end of each performance, in awe of how the crowd received her.  

“I love you guys so much and you guys make me so happy, being able to stand here and sing with you brings me so much joy, thank you guys so much,” she said. 

The atmosphere was electrifying as fans were on their feet throughout, entertained by the performance and the new upcoming DJs that were showcasing their talents.  

 The aroma of barbecued meat hung in the air as revellers washed it down with drinks as they danced away to the performances until late into the evening.

Pop singer Maleh also had revellers eating out of her hand with some of her famous songs.

Another festival goer, 32-year-old Kamogelo Moremi from Pretoria, said the festival was a good way to end May. 

“I came here with the family, the kids can also enjoy the atmosphere. Everything was great, from the food to performances. Lira was just wonderful, what a legend,” he said.